Commentary

“Child of God! let the trembling of insufficiency in thyself be stayed by the recollection of all-sufficiency in thy God. What he demands of thee, that he works in thee. His covenant secures thy holiness, no less than thine acceptance – thine holiness, not, as some would have it, as the gound, but as the fruit, of thine acceptance. Let the one then be primarily sought; and the other will assuredly follow. “I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts…for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sins no more.’ (Jer. 31: 33, 34)'”

“The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.”

Reading through this Proverb and meditating on it has been convicting. Charles Bridges states, “… no good results can arise from the spirit of the talebearer, because with him it is pure selfishness, without a principle beyond the love of sin for its own sake. He lives upon the scandal of the place, and makes it his hateful business to carry about tales, or slanders of his neighbour’s faults. Such reports are eagerly devoured, and the mischief-maker feeds with greedy appetite upon the fruit of his cruel indulgence. To him this may appear harmless play. But if it draws no blood, and no outward hurt is shewn, an internal, and often incurable, wound is inflicted. (Chap. 26:22) We may seem to make light of the tale brought to our ears, and wholly to despise it. But the subtle poison has worked. “Suppose it should be true. Perhaps, though it may be exaggerated, there may be some ground for it.” The thought indulged only for a moment brings suspicioun, distrust, coldness; and often it ends in the separation of chief friends.”